The Caged Wolf Does Not Howl
by Sorflakne
Summary: Sakaki accepts a difficult truth about her first relationship, and a chance meeting with an old friend is what she needs to lift her spirits and remind her of who she is.
1. The Caged Wolf Does Not Howl

_Author's Note: First piece of fiction I've written in awhile, and my first upload in years to in a completely new genre, topic and characters for me. And I suck at story titles. Be gentle :)_

**xxxxxx**

**The Caged Wolf Does Not Howl**

_by Sorflakne_

_Azumanga Daioh and its characters are the property of Kiyohiko Azuma. But we already knew that._

**xxxxxx**

Sakaki lay still as she stared at the darkened ceiling. Her breathing was even, her face expressionless and her mind awash in nothingness as multiple thoughts vied for attention. She breathed deep and sighed silently, feeling the light sheet covering her bare skin shift. Glancing to the side, she noted the time on a digital clock sitting on a nightstand.

_22:27_

Returning her gaze to the ceiling, she allowed her vision to lose focus, and within seconds, the ceiling appeared to move, rippling like a pool of water. An interesting little trick she'd learned from Osaka back in high school. _Oh Osaka, _Sakaki thought to herself, _you always were something different. _A faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she reminisced on her old friend. Blinking a few times, her eyes focused again, the illusion of the moving ceiling disappearing.

Looking to her other side, her smile disappeared. Sleeping peacefully next to her was her boyfriend of the last few months, Sato Hayate. He lay on his stomach facing her, his breathing slow and even. The sheet covered only his lower torso and legs, leaving his shoulders exposed. A tattoo his favorite baseball player, someone Sakaki could never recall the name of, was prominently inked into his right shoulder. She could make out faint lines in his skin by moonlight that shined through a window, lines that followed seemingly random paths but were almost identical in their pathing.

A feeling of revulsion suddenly coursed through Sakaki and she shivered. She'd put on a good show tonight. She was getting better with practice, displaying emotion and passion when there was none, and Hayate either never noticed, or he didn't care. Either way, he got what he wanted. She winced as she thought of him straddling her earlier, breathing heavily as he…

Sakaki squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw. _No, no, don't think about it, just be glad tonight was fast._ Her breathing turned short, and she hyperventilated for a few minutes as she worked to purge her memory of tonight, and the night before, and the nights of the last month or so, when things between her and her boyfriend had…changed. Almost overnight, Hayate had gone from being an amiable, flattering person to a polar opposite. He seldom smiled when he saw her anymore, his compliments toward her had gone from polite and romantic to bawdy and physical-oriented and he never visited her apartment anymore, claiming that he thought he was developing an allergy to cats, and therefore insisted Sakaki visit him exclusively. He was also dropping strong hints that he wanted her to move in, even going so far as to have a copy of his apartment key made for her. Thus far, Sakaki was successful in refusing, citing her need to be closer to campus so her schedule wouldn't be thrown off.

_And that's not even a quarter of it, _Sakaki thought, eyes still closed. She at least knew the real reason Hayate never visited her place anymore. Maya took an immediate dislike of him almost from day one. At first he simply hid whenever he came over, but soon Maya was doing whatever he could to let Sakaki's boyfriend know he wasn't welcome. He would unlace Hayate's shoes with his teeth and swipe at and bite his toes whenever he walked by or sat down, but the climax came on the night that Hayate decided he was going to get into Maya's bubble. Nonplussed by his advance, Maya had viciously swatted his hand, leaving four deep, gushing cuts as he hissed wildly, bearing his teeth before disappearing into another room before Hayate finished a yelp of pain. That episode required a trip to the nearest clinic to have the wounds cleaned and dressed, the physician curious at how a 'housecat' could have a paw that fit the spread pattern of cuts he was tending.

Sakaki opened her eyes as the memory faded. Careful not to wake her boyfriend, she sat up and hugged her knees to her chest, staring ahead at the opposite wall. Its only adornment, other than a pile of clothes at its base, was a huge poster of some American band. She didn't understand his fascination with them, their music grated on Sakaki's ears in disjointed rhythms and the lyrics were incomprehensible. Yet Hayate claimed they were one of the most popular bands in America. _Americans must be incredibly tone-deaf, _she had surmised.

Once more, she glanced at her sleeping boyfriend, and then around at his bedroom. He lived spartanly, the bed, a dresser that looked like it was falling apart and the nightstand the only pieces of furniture. For the remaining area, he had a couch, a TV stand and a computer desk. He took his meals at the counter that divided a tiny kitchen area from the rest of the main area. A small bathroom completed the setup.

_A true single male's apartment, _Sakaki thought, contrasting it to her own place which, though not much larger, had a more…civilized feel to it. She had once found his place charming, almost. A single guy living with few possessions who saw something in the tall, shy woman. When he'd first brought her here, she'd been taken by its simplicity. Over time though, the charm had disappeared as her boyfriend's character revealed its true self, and now she felt a sense of unease whenever she was here. He was like night and day with her, acting one way in public, then another when they were alone. He could be very convincing at times.

It was then that Sakaki felt dampness under her eyes. Touching a cheek, it came away wet, and she realized she was crying. Another tear trickled from her left eye, tracing its way down her cheek and dripping onto her leg.

A wave of emotion suddenly overwhelmed her, and she buried her face in her arms, trying her best to not break down. Now was not the time or place. Even so, the tears flowed freely as Sakaki silently wept, rational thought conflicting with hindsight.

_How could I have been so stupid? _she yelled internally. _How could I have allowed myself to be put in this position even when everything started to fall apart? _

_You're too damn trusting, _her thoughts replied, _you thought it was a fluke, that nothing was wrong and everything would fix itself. You weakling; they called you a Lone Wolf once, but now look at yourself, you pathetic pup. You may have a hard exterior, but inside, you're just a wet noodle. A wet noodle to be manipulated by anyone's chopsticks._

Sakaki forced the internal speech to a stop. She knew all too well how hard she could tear herself apart with these self-dialogues. Looking up, she wiped away tears and brought her breathing under control. Resting her chin on her knees, she pondered what had just transpired. She really had allowed herself to be manipulated by Hayate, to be convinced that he still was a great guy, despite the faults that were coming to light, and here she had done and said little to nothing, trying hard to avoid conflict, trying to be happy, wanting everything to be normal.

_But it isn't,_ she thought numbly. _He can be a good person when he wants to, but…_

Her lower back starting to ache, Sakaki sat upright and collected her bearing. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, the stale smell of sex and body fluids assaulting her nose, and exhaled. Opening her eyes, she knew she couldn't stay here tonight. She needed to get out of this place.

Carefully shifting her weight, Sakaki removed the sheet from her naked form and stood up. Behind her, her boyfriend moved and started mumbling. Sakaki froze, listening intently, but within seconds the incoherent speech stopped and Hayate went silent. Relieved, Sakaki started searching for her clothes. Guiding herself by moonlight and touch, she first found her bra and panties and slid them on. A few more seconds of additional searching turned up her jeans, socks and a plain violet blouse. Silently dressing, Sakaki reached for her handbag and noted the time.

_23:26_

Without a backward glance at her sleeping boyfriend, Sakaki crept out of the bedroom and through the darkened apartment to the front door. Picking up her shoes and retrieving her jacket from a coat hook, she carefully unlocked the door and opened it just wide enough for her to slip through before pulling it shut. Dropping her shoes, she fished around a pocket in her jacket and pulled out the key her boyfriend had given her and locked the door.

Finally feeling safe, she put on her shoes and slid into her jacket, placing the apartment key back in the jacket pocket. It made a clinking sound as it hit her keychain. Even though it'd been a couple weeks, she still hadn't added the key to her ring. It was a small, if insignificant, method of defiance.

Buttoning up her jacket against the chill of the night, Sakaki cut across through a decrepit flower garden to a sidewalk, and began walking toward her Toyota.

**xxxxxx**

Twenty minutes later, Sakaki unlocked her own apartment door and stepped in. Turning, she shut, locked and chained the door shut before turning again to lean back against it. Letting out a sigh, she allowed herself to sink to the floor, her emotions still running randomly.

A hoarse meowing sound reached her ears, and Sakaki looked over to see Maya come padding into the room to see who had entered. He sat down a couple meters from Sakaki and stared at her, head to one side. He meowed again, an almost questioning tone to it.

Sakaki sighed. "Maya, you were right to be distrustful. I was a fool to ignore you," she said. Maya's tail swished to one side and he lifted a paw and licked at it, seemingly indifferent.

"That probably wasn't the best way to get rid of him," Sakaki halfheartedly scolded, "but at the same time, you at least spoke your mind."

Maya looked up, apparently satisfied, and meandered over to Sakaki, allowing her to pick him up and hold him to her bosom. The Iriomote cat had grown considerably in the first year she'd owned him, and now weighed about eight kilos, but Sakaki barely noticed as she stroked his fur, scratching behind his ears as he purred contently.

Before he could fall asleep, Sakaki gently put him down. "Bet you're hungry, aren't you?" she said.

Maya looked up expectantly.

"Ok, let's get you some food," Sakaki said as she stood and kicked her shoes off. Not bothering to put them on the shoe stand, she followed Maya into the kitchen and retrieved a bag of cat food from a cupboard and Maya's food bowl from its corner and filled it. Replacing it, she took the waterbowl sitting next to it, refilled it and set it down next to Maya, who was already eating, content to ignore Sakaki for now.

Happy to see Maya taken care of, Sakaki removed her jacket and tossed it over the back of her couch as she headed for the bathroom. Once inside, she shucked her clothes off and left them in a pile in a corner. Reaching into her bathtub/shower combo, she turned on the water and lifted the latch that started the shower before fiddling with the faucet handles. Finding a suitable temperature, she eased herself into the stream of hot water and closed the curtain.

For several minutes, she stood there, allowing the water to flow down her body as she slowly turned around, letting it soak through her thick, jet black hair before turning around again. Suddenly not satisfied, she turned the cold water handle down, raising the water temperature. Still not content, she closed it further. By now the water was so hot, it burned on Sakaki's skin, turning it red, and steam began to rise. But she didn't care. She allowed it to hit her full force, the burning sensation purging her skin and helping forget what…his…touch felt like.

'_His', _Sakaki thought. _I can't refer to him by name even in my thoughts now._

She grabbed the washcloth she'd used that morning from the bar it hung on and a bottle of body soap. Dousing the cloth with the sweet-smelling liquid, she vigorously scrubbed herself from head to toe, covering every area she could reach several times, making sure to leave nothing untouched. Once satisfied, she rinsed herself off and opened the cold water handle, the blast of hot water finally getting to be too much. The steam inside the shower was thick now, and Sakaki felt like she was floating. Dreamy, almost. Her senses dulled by the steam, she stood there, swaying lightly from side to side and occasionally rotating around so she could get her back and hair, her thoughts finally on other subjects. There was the exam next week she hadn't started studying for, but more importantly, within a few months, she would begin working in one of the nearby veterinary clinics as part of her coursework. The thought of getting to spend her days surrounded by animals and mending their ills brought a smile to her face.

_I just hope I'm ready, _she thought, her smile fading somewhat.

After several more minutes, Sakaki turned the water off and reached around the curtain for a towel hanging on a rack. Drying herself off, she finished by wrapping her mass of hair as best she could in a turban-wrap before stepping onto the floor. She grabbed a white bathrobe with a NecoConeco image printed on the left breast and put it on. After tying the belt, Sakaki picked up a hand towel and wiped the fog off of the sink mirror. She dropped the towel on the sink counter and stared into the mirror. Her reflection stood there; a tall, voluptuous yet limber woman with an indifferent expression and a posture that at one time may have been called stately.

But Sakaki noticed something was amiss. She seemed smaller than she used to be, not that she'd lost any weight (nor had she been trying), but somehow, something was different. She leaned in close and stared at herself. Her expressionless bluish-gray eyes stared back. She studied herself for a minute, but leaned back without reaching a conclusion.

Sighing, she reached for her toothbrush. Finishing a couple minutes later, she undid the towel holding her hair up and let it all down. It was still wet, but a few minutes with a fresh towel and a hairdryer removed most of the dampness.

Leaving the bathroom and stepping into her bedroom, Sakaki allowed herself to fall onto her bed without bothering to turn on a light, fatigue finally catching up with her. Her head and shoulders landed on a small mound of various plushies and stuffed animals, and Sakaki allowed herself to sink into the soft, furry mass of objects from her childhood. Reaching up and taking the first one she found, she hugged the stuffed animal to her chest and stared at the ceiling. She felt the tears starting to well up again, but she took a few deep breaths and blinked quickly, willing them away this time.

Her thoughts going in no particular direction, Sakaki continued to gaze up at the ceiling.

**xxxxxx**

A light pawing on her chest brought Sakaki out of unconsciousness. Wishing it to be a figment of her imagination, she kept her eyes closed and shifted, trying to fall back into the bliss of the dream world. The pawing came again, and this time she cracked an eye open and looked for the source.

She soon found Maya standing next to her, one paw raised as he looked at her, head to one side. Seeing his owner awake, he meowed in question.

Sakaki didn't say anything. Instead, she reached over and brought Maya close, so he was resting right under her chin. Maya, pleased with the attention, reached out with his nose and nuzzled Sakaki's jaw before settling in a relaxed position.

Sakaki ran her hand through his mottled fur and Maya soon fell asleep, purring loudly. Mercifully, her mind was a blank, her subconscious was quiet and Maya's purring helped Sakaki to stay relaxed as she came fully awake.

She looked down at herself, noting she had fallen asleep still wearing her bathrobe. Her toes were ice cold, and she brought her feet up, trying to bury them in the kitten-patterned bedspread, but her mother had taught her well in the art of making a bed. A little too well, it seemed.

Sighing, Sakaki gently disengaged herself from Maya and sat up as he cracked an eye open, watching her movements. She looked around her small room. It was barely large enough to hold her bed and the dresser she'd taken from home, but the lack of space was made up with in several shelves on a couple of the walls. A few books sat here and there, and a picture of her high school friends sat where she could easily see it from bed, but most of the shelf space was dedicated to the rest of her plushie and stuffed animal collection. That which she was able to fit; the rest were still at her parent's house, though she had given a few to Chiyo as going away presents before the child prodigy left to study in America.

_I wonder how she's doing. I haven't written her in awhile, _Sakaki thought as she turned to rearrange the plushie pile on her bed. She made a note to sit down sometime this week and draft a letter for her friend.

Having finished with the plushies, she stood up and untied the now tight knot on her bathrobe, allowing it to slip off as she reached for her dresser. She took a fresh set of undergarments and slid them on, and also put on a thick pair of socks for her cold toes. Reaching in another drawer, she pulled out a pair of tan khakis and from another, a crimson red blouse. Dressing, she looked at a small mirror on the wall above the dresser. Satisfied with her look, she turned to call for Maya and noted the time.

_14:38_

Blinking in surprise, Sakaki paused. _Did I really sleep away most of the day?_ Shaking her head, she called to Maya, who woke up and bounded after her and into the kitchen as Sakaki replenished his food. Seeing as it was already afternoon, Sakaki opted for a sandwich and an orange, taking her food to the couch and eating in silence. As she peeled the orange, Maya appeared at her feet, staring up at her. Sakaki obliged him and flicked an orange peel from her palm, giggling as Maya leaped after it, swatting it around the small living room as he displayed his reflexive prowess.

"You silly kitty, I really do spoil you sometimes," Sakaki said with a smile.

Her pleasure was interrupted by the phone ringing. Sakaki glanced at it as it rang again. Deciding the machine could get it this time, she remained seated, staring at the phone. A few rings later, the answering machine clicked to life.

"_Sakaki residence. My apologies for not being home. Please leave a short message and I'll call you back as soon as I'm able." _

Silence for a few seconds. Sakaki froze when the caller began to speak.

"_Hey, babe. Where'd you disappear to?" _It was Hayate. _"Woke up this morning and you weren't there to give me a wake-up kiss. Anyway, just wondering where you're at and if you've thought anymore about accepting my offer. We really could find a bigger place with both of us paying. Just think about it." _Silence. _"Look, I know we've been a little distant over the last couple weeks, but we can make this work if we're both committed. Let's talk about it later." _And with that, a click signified the call ended.

Sakaki stared at the answering machine, the New Message light blinking. She sat ramrod straight, and began hyperventilating. _I've heard that before, he's said the exact same thing last time,_ Sakaki thought, the blinking light now the center of her focus.

_So? What are you going to do? _her subconscious responded. _Pick up the phone and say 'Yes' to his offer? Maybe go over to his place and talk there? Oh yeah, and you two can 'make up' while you're at it. Just like last time._

_Shut up! _Sakaki screamed inside. Her hand clenched into a fist, crushing the remaining piece of orange. Juice seeped between her fingers and dripped onto the carpet.

_Well well, perhaps the pup has a bark after all, _the voice taunted. _But a bark is the least of what you need. _

_I don't need _you_._

_Oh? Telling yourself you don't need you? Sounds like a psychological problem, to be talking to yourself, especially like that…_

_Enough! _Sakaki jumped to her feet and lunged for the phone. She jabbed her finger on the Delete All button and the blinking light, and Hayate's message, disappeared. Feeling lightheaded from the hyperventilating and sudden movement, she drifted back to the couch and flopped down on it. Realizing she was holding a crushed piece of orange mostly drained of juices, she quickly dropped it on her plate and grabbed a napkin to dry her hand.

_Suddenly I miss Chiyo's Father,_ she thought.

Looking up, she saw Maya standing in the middle of the room, the orange peel forgotten. He stared at her with a look that from a human would be genuine concern.

Sitting up, Sakaki stared back. "Maya, I need some fresh air."

**xxxxxx**

It was a sunny, beautiful warm day outside. Sakaki took a brisk walk through her neighborhood, Maya clutched in her arms, but felt little better after returning to her place. Thinking for a moment, she grabbed her jacket and apologized to Maya for leaving him at home this time, and went to her Toyota. Retrieving her keys, she tossed her jacket in the front passenger seat and started the engine. Nosing onto the busy main street a few minutes later, Sakaki followed the flow of traffic until she came to the freeway. Driving up an onramp, she headed in a direction she hadn't driven in some time.

_Home._

For forty-five minutes she drove, aimlessly following the traffic as J-Pop songs played on the radio. Passing through a few wards, Sakaki finally reached home, or its general area, anyway. Exiting the freeway, she drove down familiar streets, taking in the sights as they elicited forgotten memories of her childhood. There was her primary school, where she had come to learn just how different she was, often mistaken for being a few years older than she was due to her height. She passed by a pet store she had spent many hours in, yearning to bring home a cat, if only her mother was not allergic to them. Then she drove by the park her friends and her had discovered late their senior year; even though they'd only went there a few times, the memories were some of the happiest of Sakaki's fading childhood.

Lost in her thoughts, Sakaki suddenly looked around, recognizing another familiar street. Smiling at another memory, she found a parking spot and got out of her vehicle, draping her jacket over her arm before locking the car doors.

Seconds later, she was strolling down the sidewalk, taking in sights she hadn't seen in a long time. The street looked much the same as it had when she was younger. To her left was a familiar Korean Barbeque restaurant. _I wonder if Yukari and Nyamo still frequent that place. _Sakaki absently thought as she remembered her favorite teachers from high school. Picking up her pace, Sakaki smiled when she recognized another sight. _The arcade is still here, _she marveled, taking in the sounds of dozens of video games streaming from its entrance. _It hasn't changed a bit._

Walking inside, Sakaki looked around, and quickly made her way to a claw-machine game. _The thousands of Yen I poured into this machine, _Sakaki thought, lightly running a finger over the joystick and staring at the little stuffed animals inside. A pink NecoConeco gazed out at her. _What's a few more? _she thought with a grin as she reached into a pocket.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd arrive," a rich voice said.

"Huh?" Sakaki gasped. _I know that voice. _Looking for the source, she was only slightly surprised to see none other than Chiyo's Father. He stood on just the other side of the claw-machine's glass, almost as small as the stuffed animals within.

"I had heard you missed me, and so I came back to Japan to say Hello. So…Hello," Chiyo's Father said, waving at her.

Sakaki slowly waved back. "Chiyo…is she alright?"

"She is doing quite well," the yellow, oddly shaped cat replied, "though she misses you very much. Perhaps you should write her a letter? It would greatly warm both your hearts."

"I was planning to—" Sakaki began.

Chiyos' Father's color suddenly went from orange to a swirling mass of red, blue and green. "_What?_ You _planned_ to write a letter, and you have _tarried?_" he asked menacingly.

Nervous, Sakaki gulped and leaned back a few centimeters. "I…I mean, I…well, I need to think of what to say…"

"You need not lie to me, young Sakaki," Chiyo's Father said, his color and voice returning to normal. "You are feeling blue, as those silly Americans say."

"Blue?"

"But of course. Sad, depressed, or whatever other words Americans have for it," Chiyo's Father said with a dismissive wave. He briefly flashed to purple before returning to his original color. "Perhaps if only you had listened to Maya, you would not have found yourself in this little predicament."

"Maya is rather perceptive," Sakaki whispered in agreement, lowering her eyes to one side so she wouldn't have to look at Chiyo's Father.

"Indeed. Though I do still question whether he is a real cat or not. But in any case, I must be going now." Nonchalantly, he reached over and grabbed the pink NecoConeco and lobbed it over his head, dropping it into the chute where successful catches fell. "You need not worry about your feelings. They are only chemicals and your perception of what you call real, after all."

"I…" Sakaki mumbled.

Chiyo's Father waved her silent and began drifting upward until he hovered at eye-level with her. "No more. You shall find what it is you seek soon enough. Farewell," he finished with a wave.

As if hypnotized, Sakaki waved back. Her hand flashed once between her eyes and Chiyo's Father, and in that barest of moments, he vanished, leaving her to stare at her faint reflection in the glass. Over her right shoulder, a digital wall clock was visible behind her.

_17:14_

"Sakaki, is that you?" a female's voice said.

Turning, Sakaki saw a tanned young woman with slightly unkempt short brown hair and brown, penetrating eyes. She was dressed casually in jeans and a light green tank top. Sakaki breathed in sharply, recognizing the woman instantly.

"Oh my god, it _is _you!" she exclaimed, running forward and wrapping Sakaki in a bear hug.

"Kagura," Sakaki said, a faint smile on her face as she returned the embrace. To her surprise, Kagura lifted her off the ground and twirled her around.

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend? With just a hug? It's been almost a year!" Kagura teased, setting Sakaki down. She looked Sakaki over. "Damn, but you're looking good. How does a girl like you, who never works out, keep a figure like that?"

Sakaki blushed pink. "I uh…I eat right?"

Kagura just laughed. "If you don't want to tell me, that's okay. Though one of these days I will find a sport I can beat you in. I've gotten a lot of practice in over the last couple years, just so you know. University sports aren't for the weak or faint of heart, and I'm the best at what I do," she boasted, striking a pose that showed off her toned physique.

Despite herself, Sakaki smiled. _She's still the same Kagura. _"Perhaps," she replied.

"Oh I will, you watch," Kagura said, her smile never wavering. Taking a different track, she wrapped an arm around Sakaki's shoulders and spoke again. "I was just about to get myself some Korean Barbeque and I decided to stop by my old stomping grounds from when I was younger, before I got into swimming and running that is, when I happened to see you. How about it, Sakaki? Care to join me?"

"Uh…" Sakaki hesitated. "I don't want to impose."

"'Impose?' Impose nothing! It's dinner between two old friends, and you could never impose on me," Kagura replied. "Now come on, Korean food and sake are waiting." She began guiding Sakaki toward the exit.

"Well, okay," Sakaki finally agreed. Suddenly remembering something, she stopped. "Wait a second," she said to a confused Kagura.

Turning, she reached into the claw-machine's retrieval box. Her hand closed on a soft, furry object. Eyes widening, Sakaki withdrew a pink NecoConeco. She stared at it for several seconds, unmoving.

"Nice, you beat the claw," Kagura piped up, seeing what Sakaki held. "You always were a softie for the cute stuff."

"But I…didn't…" Sakaki whispered, mostly to herself.

Kagura shrugged. "Tough luck to whoever left it there."

Sakaki said nothing.

**xxxxxx**

Some time later, the two women were seated at a table, sipping sake as they waited for their food. They talked at length of old friends. Though semi-regular contact was kept with letters, e-mail and the occasional phone call, the entire group hadn't been together in over a year. Tomo was progressing quickly toward a criminal justice degree (she'd said she figured it would help her chances once she joined a police academy), and Yomi was studying her way through a degree in physics, planning to eventually work in the experimental field.

"And here I still can barely do basic math," Kagura commented. Sakaki remained silent, deciding to not tell her friend that physics was a science, not math, discipline.

Of Osaka neither had heard much from in some time, though Kagura regaled in retelling a couple of tales from Osaka's adventures during her philosophy classes. It seemed that the spacey girl had finally found her true calling, and even though they both laughed, each was glad Osaka was finding her path in life.

Their food arrived while they were taking a break from the gossip, and each ordered another round of sake. Kagura had ordered sogalbi, and as soon as the plate was down, she dug in ravenously with her chopsticks. Sakaki, patiently waiting until her dak galbi was placed before her, calmly began picking up morsels, chewing slowly and savoring the taste.

The two ate in silence for a few minutes until Kagura slowed down, content that she was far enough ahead of her friend. Their waiter returned with their sake and took their empty glasses. Sakaki took a sip from hers. _She never does give up, _she thought as she watched Kagura chew.

Sakaki glanced around the restaurant as she chewed, taking in the traditional décor that masked the modern building. Hangul script adorned the walls, random words and sayings that seemed to clash, yet somehow fit in with the atmosphere. Fake bamboo plants were placed between tables along the walls, and dark colored timber support posts added to the illusion. Hidden speakers played a soft Korean instrumental piece.

"Whatcha looking at?" Kagura's voice interrupted.

Looking at her friend, Sakaki replied, "Nothing, lost in thought, I guess." 

"Ah. Nothing new," Kagura said with a wink. "Got a guy on your mind?"

Sakaki almost choked on the morsel she was swallowing.

"Ahh, really now?" Kagura said, leaning her elbows on the table, her full attention directed at her friend. "So what's his name?"

Sakaki froze. _Should I tell her? She's been my friend for years, maybe she could help or offer advice. But…what if…_ She pondered her options.

Sensing something wrong, Kagura's smile disappeared. "Did…was it something I said?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

Sakaki looked down at her plate, her appetite suddenly gone. Pushing it away, she laid down her chopsticks and dabbed her lips with a napkin. Kagura looked on, now worried that she had upset her friend somehow. When Sakaki looked up, Kagura was shocked to see her friend's eyes were moist.

_Sakaki? On the verge of _tears? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by—" Kagura began, reaching a hand toward her friend.

"No," Sakaki interrupted. "I'm…glad you asked, actually." She blinked back the tears.

Kagura abruptly pounded a fist into her palm, a dark look in her eyes. "Were you hurt? I'll rip the bastard apart if I have to."

"No, not like that." Sakaki shook her head. "But…yes..." She paused. "I just…want to escape."

Kagura's demeanor changed as realization dawned on her. "You're in your first serious relationship, aren't you?" she asked. Her friend nodded. "And you want to end it, but don't know how."

Sakaki nodded again. Before she knew it, she was spilling out every last detail of her relationship. How it all began, the transition from being 'good friends' to 'boyfriend and girlfriend,' the fun times, the gradual decline that had sharply accelerated over the past few weeks, and finally, the previous night and this morning, where she had finally started to realize and come to grips with the truth. "I just don't know anymore," she finished. A few rogue tears rolled down her cheeks.

Kagura listened in silence, still stunned that something really did exist that could hurt her friend like this. When Sakaki finished, Kagura couldn't take it anymore.

"What the hell? This isn't you. The Sakaki I know would never stand for something like that. Not you, not the Lone Wolf," Kagura declared. She hadn't called Sakaki by her pet name in a long time.

"But I'm not a Lone Wolf!" Sakaki replied a little louder than she intended. A couple of nearby patrons turned their heads in curiosity, but quickly averted their glances when they saw Kagura's expression.

"But you're one of the strongest, toughest people I know. I know that for a fact. Your friends know that as truth."

"And what if it wasn't? What if I said it was only a shell over a pathetic wisp of a person? That it was all fake?"

Kagura crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Then I'd call you a liar," she simply stated.

Sakaki looked at her friend, her mouth hanging open, unsure what to say. This wasn't the response she'd expected. Before she could reply, Kagura continued.

"Haven't you listened to a word you've said? You even said it yourself: You've been manipulated. Manipulated into staying with this Sato Hayate bastard because he's playing on your emotions and unwillingness to stand up for yourself. You know something's wrong, I mean, hell, what was all that you just told me? But you can't bring yourself to fully accept it; you want to, but you're just avoiding a direct conflict in breaking up with him because you don't like confrontation, and you're scared!" Kagura gasped for air and held up a hand to silence Sakaki. "You're scared of what he might do," she continued in a gentler, yet firm, tone. "Not because you're afraid to hurt or disappoint him, but what he'd do to you if you leave him. That's why you're not allowing yourself a way out. You're staying because you think it's safer that way, and it's wrong. It's no fault of your own…"

As Kagura talked, Sakaki glanced down at her lap. She picked up one of her chopsticks and, holding it like a pen, pretended to write kanji on the tabletop, her focus slowly fading as Kagura's words started to stream together. The rest of her surroundings disappeared, and left Sakaki sitting there, tracing her invisible script.

_She's right. _Sakaki thought. Her hand continued tracing on its own accord as her mind wandered. _Manipulated…was I really sapped of what made me, me? Have all I've really done is just bury myself in this shell, just to please him and myself when in truth I only pleased him?_

_And the light of reason shines in the darkness, _her subconscious replied.

Sakaki's hand jerked and her tracing stopped. _Go away, _she thought.

_I can no more go away than can you, _came the response. _You can, however, grow some teeth and unshackle yourself._

_And how am I supposed to do that? Tell me! _Sakaki demanded. But there was no response.

_Sakaki? _Somewhere in the distance, a voice called her name.

"Sakaki?" the voice said again. Warm hands took hold of Sakaki's writing hand, and she looked up, coming back to reality as she noticed the sights and sounds of the restaurant around her seemingly for the first time. Kagura sat there, cradling Sakaki's writing hand in her own, a worried expression on her face.

"Sorry," Sakaki whispered. She took the chopstick in her other hand and set it down

Kagura, having finished speaking her piece, said nothing. They sat there for a few moments, Kagura staring at her friend and Sakaki lowering her gaze back to the table, absently studying the tanned, slightly calloused hands that held hers. She looked up and saw a clock on the far wall.

_19:41_

Sakaki finally returned Kagura's gaze, and they stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Will you be alright?" Kagura asked, letting go of her friend's hand.

Sakaki nodded. "It hurt to hear all of that, especially from a close friend, but…thank you," she said with genuine sincerity, looking her friend in the eye.

"Hey." Kagura smiled, her eyes going moist. "That's tough love for you. You needed to hear what needed to be said. You're my friend, Sakaki. I wouldn't have said all of that if I didn't care about you. And I do," she said with conviction. "Just remember, I've got your back no matter what. You do what you know is right."

"I know," Sakaki replied. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "And I will. Thank you for everything."

"Anytime," Kagura said. She took her glass and drained the rest of her sake, setting it down with an audible _thud_. "What do you say to one more round before we part ways?" she asked, her eyes glowing with their usual mischievous confidence, enhanced by three glasses of sake.

Sakaki glanced at her own half-full glass, her second of the evening. _Then again, who knows when I'll next see Kagura. And after that talk we just had-_

"Sure."

**xxxxxx**

Sakaki stepped outside as she buttoned up her jacket. A faint breeze stirred the cool night air. Before her, people filed past, no one giving the unusually tall woman a second glance. She stared ahead as she watched them stroll by, talking and laughing with their companions

"Hey," Kagura announced her presence as she stepped abreast of Sakaki, hands buried in her pockets.

"Hey. Aren't you cold?" Sakaki asked, gesturing at her friend's bare arms as they began to walk.

Kagura shook her head and shrugged. "The cold's good for you, toughens you up. Besides, if I do get chilly, I have you to keep me warm," she said, wrapping an arm around Sakaki's waist.

Sakaki said nothing and Kagura let go of her after a few seconds. They walked in silence for a several minutes, weaving through the throngs of people.

The crowd had thinned to a few stragglers by the time they came to an intersection. Kagura stopped and motioned. "I'm parked about a block that way," she said, pointing at a location opposite of the direction of Sakaki's vehicle. She sighed and looked at the ground, hooking her thumbs in her pants pockets. "I guess this is goodbye for now." She looked up at her friend. "I know you've always been the quiet one, but it wouldn't kill you to call more often," she pretended to pout, lightly punching Sakaki's arm.

"I will," Sakaki answered. She noticed that, for the moment, they had the intersection to themselves. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she took the pink NecoConeco she won/found earlier and handed it to Kagura. Seeing her friend's confused expression, Sakaki just smiled.

"For me?" Kagura looked at the connected stuffed animals for a few seconds and hugged them to her chest. "Thank you."

"Mm," Sakaki nodded once.

Kagura's look turned serious. "Listen, you need anything, you come fine me. I won't stand by and leave a friend hanging." Stepping forward, she slipped her arms around Sakaki and hugged her. Sakaki returned the embrace, one hand on the side of her friend's head as she held her close, her fingers sunk into Kagura's short hair, allowing her other hand to stroke her friend's muscular back. They stood that way for several seconds before letting go of each other.

Kagura took a step back and again hooked a thumb in a pocket, her other hand holding the NecoConeco to her chest. There seemed to be a faint hint of…something, in her eyes that Sakaki couldn't quite place.

"See you around," Kagura said. She turned and started walking toward where she had parked her vehicle.

"Goodbye," Sakaki said, unsure if Kagura heard it or not. A group of people walked into her field of vision, causing her to lose sight of her friend momentarily. When they passed, Kagura was already a few dozen meters away. Sakaki watched her for a few more seconds, then turned and sauntered down the sidewalk. She passed by other people, but they may as well have not existed. The three glasses of sake now coursing through her blood gave her a feeling of gliding rather than walking. She raised an eyebrow as she imagined herself floating down the street, and then dismissed the thought.

Reaching her car, she unlocked the doors and slipped inside. Starting the engine, she turned into the empty street and headed back to the freeway. The darkened neighborhood drifted by on either side, broken by the occasional street light. Her vision was fuzzy at the edges, but not enough to disorient her. She turned onto another road, taking the corner a little too wide. Fortunately, no cars were nearby.

Her thoughts drifted back to Kagura. _"I'm lucky to have her for a friend," _she mused. _"Still…I wish I could figure her out. Sometimes…oh I don't know. There's too much else to sort through and make sense of._

As she passed by the park, Sakaki suddenly turned into an adjacent parking lot. Stopping the car, she glanced at her Toyota's clock.

_20:36_

She sat there for several seconds, staring blankly at the digital numbers before making a decision.

Turning off and exiting the car, Sakaki wandered off of the pavement and into the grass. Above her, a gibbous moon hung in a clear night sky. Some stars were visible, despite the light pollution from the surrounding city, but it was enough to illuminate the park as a faint, surreal landscape. Low hills dotted the area, and she soon crested the nearest one. Stopping, she slowly looked over the open area. Running paths traced their way through the dips in the land, punctuated by benches randomly spaced along them, and a few trees here and there served to break up the darkened landscape. Around the park's borders, more trees grew. Behind them, buildings rose, and the distant horizon was broken up by Tokyo's brightly lit skyline.

Off to her left a short distance away was a large pond, its surface shimmering under the moonlight and reflected lights from the distant skyscrapers. Without really thinking about it, she soon found herself walking toward it, hands buried in her jacket pockets. Her feet made a low swishing sound as she strode through the grass, broken momentarily as she walked over a path before descending a gradual slope that took her to within a few meters of the pond's shore. A lone bench sat a couple paces away, but Sakaki took a few steps closer to the water.

As she gazed out over the pond, some of Kagura's words came back to mind.

'…_you're one of the strongest, toughest people I know…your friends know that as truth…' '…manipulated…' '…do what you know is right…'_

Sakaki ran the conversation through her head again, picking out and focusing on one line. _Do what I know is right…_

Sakaki's hand closed on a loose object in her pocket. Withdrawing her hand, she opened her fingers and stared at the key to Hayate's apartment. The warm metal quickly turned cool in the night air, and then cold. Holding it up against the lights of Tokyo's skyscrapers, she studied its silhouette, rotating it between her fingers.

_He wants me to move in with him, to be with him, even after everything that's happened between us. _Sahkaki shook her head and frowned. _Kagura was right, the Sakaki she knew would never allow herself to fall for something like that. _She raised an eyebrow. _Though she nearly did. Sakaki could and would fight; even she knew when it was time to tie her hair back and grit her teeth. _A few moments later, she smiled.

_I get it now. I have to do what's right for _me. _Screw the bastard._

She drew her arm back. Without hesitation, she took a few running steps forward and swung her arm in an overhead arc as hard as she could, sending the key flying into the night. Several seconds later, a faint splashing sound reached Sakaki's ears.

It was one of the most beautiful sounds she'd ever heard.

_And you are free._

_Almost…_Sakaki thought.

Breathing deeply, the cool night air making her nose tingle, Sakaki reached behind her head and bunched her hair together with both hands, holding it in place as she stared at Tokyo's skyline. She let it go as she turned and started walking back to her car. She stood tall and walked with confident, unfaltering steps. She felt better than she had in a long time.

From somewhere in the distance, an animal's howl drifted through the air.


	2. Old Friends

**Old Friends**

**xxxxxx**

Kagura was somewhere at the edge of unconsciousness when the phone rang. She tried to will it away, just a sound from a dream that was surely taking form, but the second ring jarred her back into reality, followed by a third, the digital sound grating on her fogged mind as she sat upright. In front of her, the T.V. was still on, its volume turned to an almost inaudible level as an old Kung Fu movie played on the screen. She squinted and blinked her eyes a few times to refocus them as she let the thin blanket covering her slide away. Her mouth was dry, though that was her own fault due to having had several mixed drinks without any water earlier that evening.

_Fell asleep on the floor again, when here I'm leaning against a nice soft couch, _she sighed inwardly as she rotated her spine and rolled her head from one side to the other, trying to work out the kinks that had formed from sleeping in an awkward position. She swallowed and attempted to kick start her saliva glands to remedy her dry mouth.

The sound of the phone ringing caught her attention again. Kagura looked over in its direction, pondering her options. Part of her wanted to get up and answer and another told her not to, especially after looking at a wall clock illuminated by light from the T.V and seeing it was just past 0100. A third part wanted to answer the phone and scream at the caller for calling at an inane hour. Especially if it was someone drunk-calling her.

Kagura sighed and haphazardly stood, absently wondering again why she always ended up on the floor. She stumbled across the room as the rest of her body slowly woke up, barely missing stepping on a game controller and knocking over an empty glass that sat on the carpeted floor next to it. She finally reached the still ringing phone and rubbed her eyes, trying to clear some of the haze that still clung to her thoughts. Taking a deep breath to keep her temper in check, she calmly lifted the cordless phone to her ear.

"What?" she spoke into the mouthpiece, a little terser than she intended.

"Um…Kagura?" a quiet, even voice replied. In an instant, Kagura's irritation at having been pulled from sleep vanished, and her demeanor softened.

"Sakaki? What…it's the middle of the night, what's going on?" she asked, leaning a shoulder against the wall.

"I…I'm sorry for waking you. You said I could call if I ever needed anything and-"

"It's ok, I wasn't asleep," Kagura quickly said, stifling a yawn. It was technically true, her having not been completely asleep. She stood on her toes and arched her back, feeling her back muscles loosen up as the aches from the floor disappeared. It then occurred to her that Sakaki must have had a very good reason to call at this late of an hour. "So what's up? Is everything okay?" she asked as she relaxed her stretch.

"I'm fine, I just can't sleep," came the reply. She heard Sakaki sigh before she continued. "I broke up with Hayate."

It took a second for that last line to register with Kagura. _Hayate? Who…oh yeah, _him_. _"You did? When?"

"Yesterday," Sakaki answered. "It didn't go well. Things got rough before I could leave."

Kagura bolted upright, ignoring a small barb of pain from a lingering ache. "What did he do?" Venom dripped from her words.

A short pause. "Nothing. It was…hard to convince him that I was serious…" Sakaki trailed off.

Kagura frowned. Things got rough yet nothing had happened? She wondered what Sakaki meant by that as she unconsciously clenched her free hand into a fist while pondering possible scenarios. _If what I think happened…_. A few moments passed in silence. "Are you sure you're okay?" Kagura asked.

"Yes," Sakaki said. "Well, maybe…I don't know."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kagura prodded.

"I do, but…" Sakaki paused. "It would be hard to explain." Silence again.

"I doubt that," Kagura said. "If even some of what you told me of him was true, then you did the right thing in leaving him. I'd be jumping up and down for you if I wasn't half-asleep." She decided to leave out the part about the drinks she'd had earlier. "Look," she continued, "if you want to talk, I'll listen. If not, I've still got your back."

"Thank you, Kagura," Sakaki replied. A few more seconds of silence followed. "Um, about talking…"

"Yeah?" Kagura asked.

"I know we both have classes tomorrow…well, today, and you probably have practice, but…can you come over? It'd be easier-"

"Sure, I can come over," Kagura interrupted. "I can be at your place in a few minutes. Besides, there's no practice tomorrow, or this weekend at all. And I've been to every one of my classes over the last few weeks, so I think I've earned a skip-day."

"You mean now?" Sakaki asked. "I meant-"

"Why not? We're both awake, and you can't sleep. Besides, something tells me you need someone right now." Kagura smacked her forehead. _Ok, that came out wrong._ "You would feel better if you could get it off your chest sooner rather than brood over it," she quickly added.

Several seconds passed in silence. "Do you still have my address?" Sakaki inquired.

"Hold on a second." Kagura lowered the phone and, going by light from the T.V., she found a light switch and flipped it on, biting back a curse as she clenched her eyes shut for a few seconds. Holding up a hand to shade her eyes, she went into her apartment's small kitchenette and grabbed an address book from a drawer. Flipping it open, she raised the phone again and asked for Sakaki's address to verify she had the correct one.

"Ok, see you in a few." Kagura said after confirming the address.

"Alright. Use my apartment number on the call box, and I'll let you in."

"Got it," Kagura said. She hung up and dropped the phone on the counter. She reached into a cupboard and grabbed a glass. Turning to the refrigerator, she took a water pitcher from it and poured herself a glass and quickly drank it. A second and third soon followed, but her mouth still felt dry. _It'll pass. Always does,_ she told herself as she replaced the pitcher.

Putting the glass next to the sink, Kagura turned and headed for her bedroom. Grabbing the first things within reach in her closet, she quickly dressed, ending up in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Her socks didn't match, but she didn't care.

She strode to the front door and slipped on a pair of shoes. She took her keys from an end table next to the door, flipped the lights off and headed out.

**xxxxxx**

Kagura knocked on Sakaki's apartment door and waited, thumbs hooked in her pants pockets as she leaned against the wall opposite of the door. She didn't have to wait for long before he heard metal scraping and then the door swinging inward. She stood upright and smiled when she saw Sakaki standing before her. The taller woman was dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants and was barefoot. She looked tired, which wasn't surprising, considering her recent breakup and the early hour. Kagura went forward and drew her into a quick hug. She felt Sakaki stiffen momentarily before relaxing.

"Good morning," Kagura said, releasing her. "Sorry it took so long to get here." 'A few minutes' had turned out to be almost half an hour.

Sakaki smiled faintly and returned the greeting. Stepping to one side, she motioned for Kagura to enter. "Thank you for coming," Sakaki said as Kagura took her shoes off.

"Not a problem," Kagura replied as she kicked off her shoes. "These things are easier when you've got support."

"Mm," was Sakaki's response. A coarse meowing caught their attention, and both looked down as Maya padded between them, circling around Kagura's feet and looking up at her as he rubbed against her legs. Finally he stopped and stood on his back paws, leaning on her right leg and stared up at her. "Maya seems to remember you," Sakaki commented.

"Hey, kitty," Kagura said, leaning down to scratch his head. "You taking good care of Sakaki?" Maya purred in response. She looked up at Sakaki, whose cheeks had turned a faint shade of pink. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm managing," her friend replied. She motioned Kagura to follow. "Please, come in."

Kagura looked around at Sakaki's apartment as she followed her friend into the living room, with Maya following at their feet. It was a quaint setup, if somewhat minimal, yet still projected a feeling of warmth. _Definitely makes my place look like a wreck, _Kagura mused. The only thing that appeared out of place was an oil painting that hung on the wall left of the couch. It depicted a field of magenta flowers under a blue sky, with what looked like dragonflies flying through the air. To Kagura, knowing of Sakaki's penchant for all things cute, it seemed an odd choice of art décor.

Kagura dropped herself on the couch and watched Sakaki pick Maya up before she sat down. Despite her friend's fatigued appearance, she still carried herself with a fluid grace. _The girl's tougher than she gives herself credit for, _Kagura thought as her eyes followed Sakaki's movement. She averted her gaze a second later when she realized that she was studying her friend's lines a little too closely.

"So, from the beginning…what happened?" Kagura asked once Sakaki had gotten comfortable.

"I didn't do anything at first. I wanted to make sure I was ready for confronting Hayate, so I avoided seeing or speaking to him for several days. Saying you'll do something is…different than actually following through with it…and I was nervous," Sakaki said. Kagura nodded in understanding and remained silent. Sakaki continued. "I knew that the longer I waited, the less likely I'd be able to have gone through with it. So finally, yesterday…well, two days ago now, I went to his place. And in short, told him I wanted to end our relationship."

"Straight and to the point, and he wasn't happy about it, I'm guessing," Kagura said matter-of-factly, putting her feet up on the coffee table.

Sakaki nodded. "He tried to tell me I was joking, but when he finally realized I was serious, he completely changed. He called me a bitch, saying that I had no right to end it and that I would only…" She paused and flicked a glance down at her hands. "And that's when I struck him."

Kagura looked at Sakaki and raised an eyebrow. "You slapped him?"

"No," Sakaki said. She looked down at her hands again. Kagura followed her gaze and saw her friend's right hand balled into a fist. Kagura raised her eyebrows as her friend went on. "I don't know what came over me," she said. A faint change of pitch entered Sakaki's voice. "What he was saying…intoning…something in me decided that enough was enough. I'm not sure how else to describe it." She kept her eyes down and rubbed her hand. Kagura noticed Sakaki's eyes were misting over.

"What did he do in response?" Kagura asked with an edge to her voice.

"Nothing." Sakaki sniffed and took a couple deep breaths. She stopped massaging her hand and opened and closed it a few times. "He didn't get up right away. I think the hit disoriented him-"

"Wait, you _floored _him?" Kagura interrupted, surprise and disbelief laced in her words, her eyes wide. She had never seen her friend throw a punch, but she didn't doubt that if Sakaki did, she was capable of putting a great deal of power behind it. _But the very thought of _Sakaki_ knocking someone down… _"As in, he was out cold?

Sakaki shook her head, keeping her eyes down. "He lay on the ground holding his cheek. I think I panicked; I would have helped him up, but what if he…returned the gesture? Instead, I took the opportunity to get out, so I told him that I never wanted to see him again, and left before he could regain his feet."

"Wow," Kagura finally said after a few seconds, a smile creeping on her face. "I'm proud of you, for taking a stand and giving that asshole what he had coming." 

"Mm," Sakaki mumbled as she stroked Maya, who had fallen asleep in her lap. She didn't look up. "It had the desired effect. But I think it could have been resolved differently."

"Maybe," Kagura shrugged, her smile fading. "Maybe not. I don't blame you for what you did to end it. Though I wish you would have said something sooner about this. To me or anyone, so you wouldn't have had to endure the last few months alone."

"Like I said last week, I didn't know what to think or do, or who I could talk to about it." Sakaki finally looked at her friend. A single tear trickled down her cheek. "It's hard…wanting to do something yet being afraid to do it. Even if it means saving yourself. What you said finally made me accept that I had to act. Much as it hurt, it needed to be said, and I needed to hear it."

"I'm not sorry for saying what I said," Kagura stated. And she wasn't. "Sometimes the harshest words come from those closest to you." She nudged Sakaki's leg with her knee and smiled again. "And I'm glad to see you're back as a result."

Sakaki smiled faintly and wiped the tear away. "Yeah," she said. She sniffed and stifled a yawn and ran a hand through Maya's fur again. "It's getting late, and I've got an anatomy exam at 0930 I can't miss."

"Ah hell, why didn't you say anything about that?" Kagura groaned, also yawning as she stood. "We could have met later today, I didn't mean to keep you up"

"It's all right," Sakaki said, shaking her head. "I would have been up late anyway contemplating the past couple days." She also stood up, taking care to hold Maya close. The wildcat yawned and shook his head at the sudden movement before falling back asleep.

"If you say so," Kagura said with a shrug. She reached out and scratched Maya's head before turning toward the door. "Alright then, I'm going to head out and let you sleep. Think I'll still take today off, though."

"You can stay here, if you want."

"Hm?" Kagura looked back at her friend.

Sakaki gestured at the couch. "Since you're here and it's so late and…um…" She paused and glanced to one side, seemingly out of words. "For a friend?"

Kagura had a pretty good idea of the real reason Sakaki wanted her to stay, but she kept it to herself. _No need to bring him up again tonight…er, this morning. _Another thought started forming, but she brushed it aside. "Sure, I'd love to," she said. "Besides, my apartment seems to have a magnet in the floor." Sakaki gave her a bewildered look. "Nevermind," Kagura said, waving a hand.

"Right. Let me get you a blanket and pillow," Sakaki said. She set Maya down and went to her bedroom, returning a few seconds later with the aforementioned items. "Will you need another blanket?" she asked. "Winter's over, but it still gets cold in here sometimes."

"No, I'll be fine," Kagura replied. She took the offered bedding and looked at her friend. "Well, good luck on your test tomorrow."

"Mm, thanks," Sakaki said. She yawned and flipped a light switch next to her, turning off the overhead lights, leaving a solitary lamp on an end table next to the couch lit. "And thank you for coming over, and for listening." Kagura nodded once in response. The two women looked at each other for a few seconds before Sakaki turned back toward her room. "Well, good night."

"'Night."

Kagura watched Sakaki retreat to her bedroom with Maya in tow. A few seconds later, the light was turned off and Kagura was alone. She sauntered over to the couch and dropped the pillow on one end before laying out the blanket. Satisfied, she lay down and pulled her socks off and dropped them on the floor. She then pulled her keys and wallet from her pockets and deposited them on the coffee table before reaching up to turn off the lamp. Moments later, her eyes adjusted and she let out a long breath as she stared at the ceiling. Light from Tokyo's nightscape filtered in through cracks in the window blinds, casting an eerie glow about the room.

As she stared at the ceiling, various thoughts crossed her mind, foremost among them that her friend was okay, despite her forlorn demeanor and apparently sore knuckles. She was certain that Sakaki hadn't told the whole story of what had transpired, but Kagura knew that just sharing the basics was hard enough for her. For as long as she could remember, Sakaki had always been a reserved, if not withdrawn, person, and Kagura knew that if she wanted to share more of what happened, she eventually would on her own volition. She clenched her teeth at the thought, but shoved aside any contemplation of causing bodily harm to Hayate; Sakaki had taken care of that. There was also a thought that tugged at the back of her mind, one that she hadn't reflected on in awhile until recently, and a few minutes ago, it had almost come back again. _In a different time, spending the night at Sakaki's…_

Kagura mentally berated herself a second later. _This isn't the time for that_. _She needs a friend right now. Reminisce of the past on your own time. _Sighing, she looked at the wall separating Sakaki's room from the living room.

"Good night, Sakaki," she whispered before wrapping herself in the blanket and rolling over to find a comfortable position. At least her friend's couch was far softer than the floor.

**xxxxxx**

Kagura woke up as she rolled off of the couch and hit the floor. Startled, she thrashed around, but was tightly wrapped up in her blanket and only ended up becoming more entangled. After a few seconds, she managed to work herself free. She climbed to her feet but quickly fell to a sitting position on the couch, her sense of balance off-kilter from the rude awakening. She threw the blanket aside and leaned forward and rested her forehead in her palms for a few seconds. Looking up, she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings, and had to pause and think for a moment before it came back to her.

_Right, Sakaki's place. She offered me the couch, _Kagura thought as she blinked a few times. She shook her head and sighed. _The tornado dream again. And this time I didn't even have a bat…_

Movement caught her attention. Turning to look, she saw Maya peeking around the corner of the couch, warily staring at Kagura.

"Weird dream, Maya. It happens every now and then," Kagura said. She frowned and blushed. _Wait, I'm talking to a cat, _she realized. _I wonder if Sakaki does this, too._

Maya meowed questioningly.

"I'm pretty sure I'm fine, I'm just disoriented from hitting the ground." _Emphasize 'pretty sure', if I'm having a conversation with an animal, _Kagura mused. She stood and stretched before wandering into to Sakaki's kitchen. A note on the counter caught her attention:

_I'm on campus taking that exam I mentioned last night. I didn't want to wake you, so help _

_yourself to something for breakfast. I apologize for the sparse selection, I haven't been to _

_the market for a few days._

_Thank you again for coming over. You were right; I do feel better._

_-Sakaki_

Kagura smiled faintly as she read the note again. Looking up, she scanned the small kitchen and settled on a few bananas sitting next to the sink. Grabbing one, she peeled it and started eating. As she chewed, she noticed Maya looking at her, his head tiled to one side as if questioning her action.

"Sakaki said it was alright," she said between bites, tapping the note with a finger. Maya continued to stare at her as Kagura took another banana and ate it as well. After a short search, she found a garbage can and dropped the peels in. Looking up, she saw that Maya was still watching her every move, his tail lazily swishing back and forth. He meowed at her.

Without thinking about it, Kagura wordlessly approached Maya and picked him up, cradling the wildcat like a baby. He wriggled a little until he was in a comfortable position, and began purring a few seconds later as Kagura scratched his head. She walked back into the living room and eyed the strange oil painting for a few seconds before walking a slow circle around the room, Maya purring contently.

"Sakaki should be better off now that she's away from Hayate." The corner of Kagura's mouth twitched as she said his name. She paused at the window and pulled open the blinds and stared outside. Urban sprawl reached as far as she could see, ending at Tokyo's skyline, which was barely visible in the still, hazy air.

"You know, sometimes I wonder what might have happened if I'd figured some things out sooner, how different things might have been…" Kagura said as she gazed at the landscape before her. She looked down at Maya. He was nearly asleep, judging by his slowed breathing and barely-open eyes. She set her jaw to one side as a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Sakaki was special to me," she finally said. She smiled. "I guess I still think she is."

Kagura turned from the window and circled the living room again before stopping next to the couch. She gently laid Maya on one of its cushions. He sat up and yawned before shaking himself and jumping down to the floor and sauntering off to the kitchen. She watched the wildcat wander off. "Well, thanks for listening," Kagura said to herself. She picked up her socks from under the coffee table and slid them on.

Kagura happened to look up, and saw Maya had turned his attention to the front door. She couldn't help but notice that his fur stood on end, and his ears were turned back, as if he was about to attack something.

She was about to say something when someone knocked at the door. She froze, and Maya crouched, a barely audible growl reaching her ears a second later.

_Ok, he's either pissed at or scared of whatever's on the other side of the door,_ Kagura thought. She wasn't about to answer the door; it wasn't her residence and Maya's behavior was making her nervous. _Maybe he just does this for strangers,_ she contemplated.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a thin white rectangle sliding under the door, and then the sound of footsteps slowly walking off. Curious, Kagura left the couch and approached the object, noting that Maya seemed to have calmed down. He sat up and licked a paw as if nothing had happened.

Picking it up, Kagura saw it was a folded piece of paper. It had no outward markings. _Probably a flyer or something, _she pondered. She considered opening it, but then decided against it. Then she thought of Maya's reaction, and decided to see what was inside. Besides, if anything, a simple refolding would hide any evidence of snooping. Opening the folds, Kagura saw that it was a note. Or more accurately, a letter, as she began reading.

Several seconds later, her eyes narrowed she skipped to the bottom of the page. A single romaji character marked the end. _H._

She looked up sharply at the door. _I wonder if I can still catch him before he leaves,_ she thought as she reached for the doorknob. A dark pit was opening in her gut, but she shoved any thoughts of malice aside. _Just going to talk, _she told herself as she left the apartment. Looking to each side, she saw a figure, a man with his back to her, at her right approaching a stairwell.

Without realizing it, she was moving down the hall at just below a sprint. The man didn't seem to hear Kagura as she approached. She gripped the letter tightly in one hand. _Just going to talk…_

"Hey you!" Kagura called out, slowing to a walk. The man stopped and turned. Kagura breathed evenly and kept her expression neutral while she looked him over as she approached him. He stood several centimeters taller than her, but still below Sakaki's height. His coffee-colored eyes were framed in a boyish face, and he had dark brown hair. But his eyes drew most of Kagura's attention; they were the type that one could easily get lost in, soft as they appeared. He looked well built; not exactly bulky, but he definitely was no weakling, either. He was rather handsome, in a refined way, and she could easily see why Sakaki had fallen for him. If she knew nothing about him, Kagura knew that she could also have been taken by his appearance alone. She grimaced internally at that last notion.

"Sato Hayate, I'm guessing?" Kagura said.

"I might be. Who's asking?" Hayate replied. Until now, Kagura hadn't believed that a honeyed voice could be real. But here now was a perfect example of one. She noticed he was sizing her up as well.

"Doesn't matter," Kagura said, keeping her tone formal and ignoring Hayate's look. She unfolded and held up the letter. "Did you write this?"

Hayate's demeanor faltered. "That's private, how'd you get it?" he demanded as he reached for it.

Kagura held it out of his reach and sidestepped. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." She put out a hand and stopped a second attempt at grabbing the letter, pushing Hayate back. She glared at Sakaki's ex-boyfriend, her brandy-colored eyes barely concealing her opinion of him. "Why'd you write this? Sakaki wants nothing more to do with you."

As if nothing had happened, Hayate regained his composure and smiled. "It was a misunderstanding, that's all. We just had an argument over something silly and said some things we shouldn't have. We'll be good within a day or two." His smile broadened as he held his hands out at his sides. "Just leave the letter with her."

"Yeah…do your arguments normally involve taking swings at one another?" Kagura asked. She had just noticed a faint bruising on his upper lip. _Damn, Sakaki really _did_ clock him one, _she thought, doing her best to hide her surprise. _A little more to the left and he'd have a broken nose, easily. Lower and he'd have a split lip. _She narrowed her eyes. "Sakaki's a sweet girl-"

"Yeah, she is. And I just want to set things right with her," Hayate interrupted, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Kagura tilted her head to one side, and lunged forward and grabbed a surprised Hayate by the collar and yanked him down so he was at eye level with her. The letter in her free hand drifted unnoticed to the floor as she released it. Keeping her grip, she jabbed a finger in front of his nose and leaned in close, close enough to notice he likely hadn't brushed his teeth.

"You listen to me," Kagura said in a low voice, "and you listen good." She formed her pointing hand into a fist when Hayate opened his mouth, which he quickly shut when he saw the dark look in her eyes. "You don't get it, do you? Stay away from Sakaki. Don't even _think_ of coming near her or trying to contact her again. A piece of shit like you doesn't deserve someone like her."

"Hey, what-" Hayate began.

"Interrupt me again, and I'll finish what Sakaki started," Kagura snarled, bringing her fist very close to Hayate's mouth. He quickly fell silent again. She breathed deeply, keeping her deathgrip on his jacket collar. She was pleased, in a cruel way, to see a flicker of fear in his eyes. "I'm going to make it simple:" she said evenly. She leaned in close enough to whisper in his ear. "Don't fuck with my friends. Or you deal with me." She leaned back and released Hayate.

Hayate blinked at Kagura as he straightened his posture. His expression turned hard. "Who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to make this call when you know nothing-"

"I've known Sakaki longer than you," Kagura retaliated. "I may not know everything that you did to her, but she's not your little plaything anymore. And I know that if she had known who you really are, she would have run from you, so fast that there'd be no way you could hope to catch her."

Hayate shrugged and crossed his arms. "Maybe you don't know her as well as you think you do. She's always come back to me, and she will this time, too."

Something snapped within Kagura. She wasn't sure what happened next, and even days later as she reran the moment through her mind, there were a few hazy seconds that could not be recalled. One moment she was staring at Hayate, incredulous at his haughtiness, the next, he was lying on his back, with Kagura kneeling on his chest and her right hand tightly wrapped around his throat. He gasped for air, and she noticed her grip was slowly increasing. She stopped, but kept enough pressure to hold Hayate's head down.

Kagura's mind was a cloud. _Now I think I know what Sakaki felt. _She hardened her expression. "I'll say this one more time," she growled, barely keeping her voice from cracking as she leaned over him. Her right arm twitched slightly as adrenaline coursed through her body, and she pointed again with her left. "Sakaki and you are through. Come near her again…and you will answer to me."

Hayate nodded in fearful understanding, his breathing ragged and his eyes wide in terror as Kagura released her grip, leaving a perfect impression of her hand on his neck. He looked like he was about to say something, but then thought better of it when he saw Kagura's expression. Hayate groaned as his assailant stood and stepped to the side. He slowly climbed to his feet, Kagura making no effort to assist him, and took a few steps back and into the stairwell, holding his palms up in surrender. Without a word, Hayate disappeared down the steps, keeping a wary eye on Kagura, lest the short woman come over the railing after him.

Kagura watched him go, and listened as his footsteps went from walking to running as he went down the rest of the stairs. A slamming sound several seconds later told her that he had exited the building.

Kagura fell into a squat as the adrenaline rush dissipated. She rested her elbows on her knees and brought a palm to her forehead as she fought off a wave of lightheadedness. She looked at where Hayate had been lying, suddenly repulsed by what she had done.

_Ever since Sakaki told me of him, I've wanted to thrash him for what he did to her, _she thought. Her emotions were in conflict; a large part of her was satisfied that she got to mete out her fantasy in a way, but the other part was still in astonishment that she had actually carried it out. Well, almost. _What is wrong with me? _she suddenly asked herself. _No, _she answered a second later, frowning._ I did it for Sakaki's sake. I take care of my friends. _Her frown faded. _But I've never snapped at someone like that before. Gods, what would Sakaki have said if she saw us? _

She pushed the thoughts away and stood. It was done and over with now. Looking behind her, she was relieved to see no one else in the hallway. She knew that her and Hayate's exchange would have been a challenge to explain. She knelt and picked up the letter and turned and walked back to Sakaki's apartment.

Reaching the door moments later, she grasped and turned the doorknob. And turned again. Puzzled, Kagura looked down at it, then at the number on the door. Seeing that it was indeed Sakaki's residence, she rattled the doorknob for a second as a sinking realization set in. _You've got to be kidding me…_

With a groan, she leaned her forehead against the door with a dull _thud_. From inside the apartment, Kagura heard a faint meow.

"I don't suppose you can unlock doors, can you?" she said through the solid wood. Maya meowed again in response, and Kagura heard a faint scuffing sound on the door.

"Thanks for trying, at least," she sighed. She turned and leaned against the door. No shoes, no keys, no way to get back inside or into her vehicle. She patted her pockets down. No wallet either; that was sitting on the coffee table next to her keys.

Kagura sighed again and sat down in front of the door, crossing her arms as she leaned back and settled in to wait for Sakaki to return.

**xxxxxx**

Kagura guessed that it was around mid-late morning when she woke up, but Sakaki had given no indication to when she would return. As she sat against the door, waving off the odd look the occasional passing resident gave her, Kagura's thoughts eventually returned to her friend, and what had crossed her mind the previous night, much as she tried to push it away and concentrate on the present. So focused did she become on it that she didn't notice an approaching figure.

"Kagura? What're you doing out here?"

Jarred from her thoughts, Kagura looked up and saw Sakaki standing next to her. Her friend was holding a few plastic bags and had a backpack slung over her shoulders.

"Uh, I locked myself out. Long story," Kagura added before Sakaki could ask why. "Need help with those?" she asked, extending a hand and gesturing at the bags.

"Yes, thank you," Sakaki said as she handed off one of the bags so she could dig her keys out of a pocket. Opening the door, she paused to remove her shoes as Kagura edged past her and dropped the bag she held on the kitchen countertop.

Kagura was about to ask Sakaki how her test went as she turned to face her friend, until she saw her kneel and pick something up. She quickly recognized the letter from Hayate as Sakaki stood, which Kagura had completely forgotten about in lieu of Sakaki returning home. Sakaki had a curious expression on her face as she started unfolding it one-handed. Thinking fast, Kagura quickly stepped forward and deftly snatched the paper from her hand.

Sakaki gave her a confused look. "What's that about?"

"It's probably best you don't read it," Kagura replied as she stepped back. "It's…" She wanted to think up a lie, to say it was nothing, but she had already painted herself into a corner when she snatched it away. So she went with the truth. "It's from your ex."

Almost imperceptibly, Sakaki jerked. "He was here?"

"This morning. I'm sorry for prying, I didn't know what it was. It was slid under the door and I thought it was a flyer or something," Kagura said apologetically. She took a deep breath. "When I saw what it was, I went after him, to talk. I told him to leave you alone."

Sakaki looked at the shorter woman. "'Talk'?"

"I told him to leave you alone, that's it," Kagura repeated. "It took a few minutes to convince him to, though," she added. "He's definitely an arrogant bastard."

Sakaki didn't respond. Instead, she maneuvered around Kagura and walked into the kitchen and set her bags on the counter next to the one Kagura had carried and started unpacking them. Kagura followed a second later and sat on one of two stools next to the counter and started unpacking, too; not knowing where anything went, she stacked various items on the counter for Sakaki to put away.

"Something tells me you did more than 'talk' to Hayate," Sakaki said matter-of-factly after a few moments, not looking at Kagura.

Kagura looked up, a nervous sense coming over her. "Hm?"

"A feeling, is all," Sakaki said. She looked up and stared ahead, a thoughtful look on her face. "I feel as if I should say something about it…but for some reason, I don't care."

"'Don't care'?" Kagura asked, confused.

Sakaki didn't respond. The corner of her mouth twitched as she looked down and pulled a receipt from the bag she was unpacking. She balled it up and tossed it to the floor. Maya, who had taken a seated position behind them, lunged at the paper ball and swatted it into the living room. Sakaki smiled as she watched him chase after it.

"What do you mean, you don't care?" Kagura pressed.

Sakaki glanced at her for a few seconds, and then at the folded letter from her ex-boyfriend; Kagura had placed it on the counter before she helped unpack. Picking it up (Kagura didn't stop her this time), she turned it over in her hands, but didn't open it. After studying it for several seconds, she held the letter up in both hands and tore it in half. She tore the two pieces again, and the smaller pieces again, until she held a small pile of shredded paper. She unceremoniously dropped it onto the counter and crossed her arms.

"I should have handled him, not you," Sakaki mumbled as she looked down at the shredded letter, her usual demeanor returning. She sighed heavily. "But what's done is done. I'm not going to concern myself with him anymore."

Kagura's nervousness abated. "You're welcome, I guess."

After a moment, Sakaki nodded once before returning to the task before them. They spent the next couple minutes in silence unpacking and putting various food items away. When they finished, Sakaki came around the counter and sat on the other stool. She nodded at the ground. "Your socks don't match."

Kagura looked down and wiggled her toes. One sock was white with a gray tip, the other gray with a red stripe over the toes. She looked at her friend and shrugged. "It's my day off. Who cares?"

Sakaki looked back at her, and then at Maya, who was still prodding the paper ball around the floor. After a couple minutes, she stood. "You probably haven't eaten. I'll make us a late lunch."

"Free lunch?" Kagura said, glancing at Sakai as she walked back into the kitchen. "I have to come here more often then. I'm barely surviving on my own cooking as it is."

"You're more than welcome to," Sakaki replied. "It would be nice to reconnect, since…I've got time now."

"Reconnect…" Kagura said distantly, resting her elbows on the counter and staring at the torn up letter. She looked up after a moment with a mischievous grin. "If I knew how to cook anything beyond a grilled cheese or a bowl of cereal, I'd challenge you to a cook-off." She sat back, one knee under the countertop to keep from tipping over, frowning. "Wow, it's been awhile since I challenged you to anything. We really do have some catching up to do."

Sakaki, digging through a cupboard and unseen by Kagura, smiled. "Yeah," she replied.

**xxxxxx**

_A/N: And the story continues (needs a better description though, I'll think of something later). Caged Wolf was originally going to be a one-shot, but after I read it again a few weeks after posting it, an expanded storyline started taking shape of its own accord, and I decided to see where it would go. The story is more or less completed in outline format, now I just need to stop being lazy (and letting real life and work interfere) and sit down and write it. _

_As a side note, my 'ideal' mental image of Kagura was one of her casually standing with her thumbs hooked in her pockets and with a smug/nonchalant expression on her face. Then I found the 10__th__ anniversary supplement pages over the summer and saw her chapter insert…a perfect, spitting image of the one I'd formed. My head asploded from the awesomeness._

_Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far, and thank you for reading._


	3. Interlude: Sakaki

**Interlude: Sakaki**

**xxxxxx**

"If your back is sore, I can give you a massage," Kagura offered. She took a sip of her green tea and set the bowl down on the hardwood table. Smoothening out a wrinkle in her silver kimono, she continued. "One of the things you learn in athletics is about the muscle groups and how to release stress and stiffness from your body, and massage is one of the simplest ways to do it. Outside of exercise, of course."

Sakaki took a sip of her own tea and politely listened as Kagura explained the benefits, but her focus was elsewhere. Specifically on Maya, who was lounging atop Kagura's head, his front paws lazily hanging down over her forehead. Regardless of how her friend moved her head, the wildcat didn't seem to need to shift his weight or dig his claws in to Kagura's skin to maintain his position.

_They look so adorable, _Sakaki thought, smiling. _I wonder why I've never tried that. _She took a final drink and picked up a linen cloth and carefully swabbed the bowl until it was dry. She then ceremoniously arranged both on the table. Sitting up straight, Sakaki subtly arched her back and rolled her shoulders to assuage the aching. Her kimono's obi wasn't helping either; its knot was positioned so, regardless of how she knelt, it dug into her back and only added to her discomfort. Ignoring a small spike of pain, she reached over and took a raspberry from a bowl of fruit.

_I shouldn't have tied it so tight, _she contemplated as she chewed. _But an improperly tied obi comes loose. _Trying to take her mind off of the pain, Sakaki glanced to the wood-paneled wall at her right. An open shoji revealed the landscape beyond; rolling green hills covered in flowers of various species with jagged blue mountains rising in the distance beneath a lightly clouded sky. Other than the building she and Kagura sat in, there was no evidence of civilization to be seen in the beautiful landscape. Sakaki inhaled deeply, taking in the summer scents that drifted on a warm breeze into the room. For a moment, she felt at peace with herself.

"So what do you say?"

"Hm?" Sakaki looked back at Kagura. The breeze ruffled her friend's windswept hair. "Um…"

"_What reason do you have for refusing? You two are the only ones here."_

"See?" Kagura said with a smile, "Even your subconscious agrees that it'd be good for you." She gently plucked Maya from the top of her head and sat him on the floor. She then edged back from the table and crawled over to a futon that sat a couple meters from the table before resuming a kneeling position. "Come on…it's a beautiful day, we've just had tea and fruit…what better way to end it than with a massage? Besides, we can watch Maya chase dragonflies for a little bit," she said, pointing. Sakaki followed her gesture and saw the wildcat sitting at the entrance, indolently swatting at the insects as they flew by.

Sakaki turned her focus back to her friend. Momentarily glancing at the table to ensure everything was in its proper place, she left the table and crawled to the futon. She smoothed out the front of her green kimono before laying facedown so she could face the open shoji. "Very well, I'll accept."

"Alright then," Kagura said with a smile as she repositioned herself. Leaning over Sakaki, she lightly pushed down on her upper back. "Just relax. Let go of yourself."

Sakaki did as she was told, taking a few deep breaths and allowing herself to settle into the futon. Within moments, she could feel Kagura's fingers gliding over her, starting at her neck before moving down her back. Sakaki momentarily tensed when her friend loosened her obi's knot, but soon forgot about it as Kagura continued to knead the muscles on her back.

_She wasn't exaggerating,_ Sakaki thought_. _Each part of her that Kagura touched tingled like electricity. She seemed to know exactly where every ache and knot was without Sakaki having to guide her, and her friend deftly massaged each one with precise care. Within minutes, she felt nothing but the fluid movements of each stroke; the harder Kagura pressed, the heightened the sensation. Almost feeling weightless, Sakaki allowed her vision to drift out of focus as an audible sigh escaped her lips.

"I'm guessing you're feeling better already," she heard Kagura say. Sakaki, closing her eyes, nodded once. Her friend's probing hands moved to her sides, tracing each of her ribs in a synchronized motion as they moved up her body. She moved her arms to allow more room as Kagura continued up. Gradually, Sakaki allowed herself to slowly roll over onto her back as her friend continued to run her hands over her torso and abdomen. Sakaki breathed deeply, arching her back as her nerve endings responded to Kagura's touch. She felt her kimono being gently tugged open and the massage continued under the silk.

Sakaki moaned softly as she opened her eyes. A second later, pleasure turned to shock at what she saw.

Kagura was gone. As was the building they were in. It was replaced by a room she recognized and a bed she was all too familiar with. Where Kagura had originally been, Hayate knelt over her, leering at Sakaki.

"Told you you'd be back," he said.

**xxxxxx**

_No! _

Sakaki stared up at the ceiling with wide eyes. Her chest heaved as she breathed in rapidly, the last vestiges of the dream fading. She was in her apartment and in her own bed, and clutching her comforter in a white-knuckle grip. With some effort, she forced herself to release the thick blanket after a few seconds.

_A dream. It was just a dream, _Sakaki told herself as she brought her breathing under control. Groaning, she sat up and pushed the comforter aside. As she did, she suddenly noticed that the bottom of her pajama top had ridden up. Too far up for natural sleep movements to have caused. Turning a bright shade of red, she quickly rearranged it so she was properly covered.

_I've never had a dream that vivid before, _Sakaki thought, her embarrassment growing as certain details came back to her. _Why would I dream of Kagura like that? And…and…why did _he _show up? _She shook her head and looked at her alarm clock.

_07:14_

She reached over and deactivated the alarm; she was already wide awake and it would have gone off within a minute anyway. Pulling herself from the covers, she started making her bed, but paused. Frowning, she picked up a seal plushie that had somehow gotten into the blankets while she was asleep. _Vivid dream, _Sakaki wryly mused as she noticed where it had been laying. She placed it on the headboard and rubbed the small of her back as she continued her task.

Finishing a couple minutes later, she went to the bathroom and started water running for a shower. As she undressed, Sakaki paused and stared at herself in the mirror. She contemplated her reflection for a few moments as she ran a hand through her thick hair. The hand fell to her abdomen and she lightly ran her fingertips over her skin. She felt the same electric feeling she'd felt in the dream as she traced back and forth a few times.

"It was just a dream," she said aloud. _Still…_

Setting her thoughts aside, Sakaki stepped into the stream of hot water and quickly lathered up. She would've preferred to stay in the shower's warmth for a while longer, but she knew she'd have to leave early enough to make it to campus in time. She briefly considered skipping the exam as she knotted her bathrobe a few minutes later; she was doing well in the class and one missed quiz wouldn't sink her grade, but struck the thought seconds later, knowing she'd eventually have to explain herself. Sighing, Sakaki unwrapped the towel holding up her hair and reached for her hairdryer.

**xxxxxx**

Some time later, Sakaki emerged from her room, dressed simply in jeans and a white t-shirt. She stopped as she passed her couch and looked down at Kagura's sleeping form. _I'd almost forgotten she stayed the night, _Sakaki thought. She reflected on their conversation from a few hours ago and for a moment, felt silly for having asked her to stay. _It made sense at the time…I think. I don't really know why I asked her to; it just kind of…slipped out. _Sakaki shook her head and tightened her jaw. _I was scared. I can rationalize it however I want…but in the end, I was scared. Of what, though? That something was going to happen? _She looked at the ground and exhaled. Mercifully, her subconscious remained silent.

Sakaki toed the carpet as she thought of her dream again. By now, it had nearly faded from memory, the only things she could recall being Kagura's voice and her touch. Sakaki's cheeks turned pink as she thought of those few scenes, especially near the end, and she looked away from her friend. Despite her creeping blush, she was surprised to realize that she didn't feel as uncomfortable about it as she did earlier. _The final few seconds though…_ She shuddered.

Sakaki knelt and rested her elbows on the back of the couch, and rested her chin on her wrist as she watched her friend sleep. She noticed Kagura's eyelids flutter, but her breathing indicated that she was still fast asleep. _Dreaming, _Sakaki deduced. She reached down and gently pulled Kagura's blanket up and rearranged it so it wouldn't fall off. _And what is it you dream of, Kagura? _she found herself asking.

She contemplated waking Kagura, but decided against it, choosing to let her friend dream for awhile longer. _Hopefully it ends better than mine, _she mused pensively. Feeling a soft poke at her leg, Sakaki glanced down and saw Maya staring up at her, an expectant look in his eyes. "Where've you been all morning?" she whispered as she scratched his head. Leaving her friend to sleep, she stood and wandered into the kitchen and refilled Maya's food and water bowls. She noted that his bag of food was almost empty, and after a cursory glance around the kitchen, saw she was low on food as well. _I'll have to make a quick stop for groceries after the exam, _she thought as she took the last orange from a bowl.

Sakaki happened to glance at a wall clock as she started to peel the orange, and did a double-take.

_08:44_

_Late! _Sakaki started. _I'm going to be late! _She quietly ran to her bedroom and grabbed her backpack, slipping the unpeeled fruit into a side pouch. She slung the pack over her shoulders as she scampered back to the front door and grabbed her shoes. Maya, having eaten his fill sat off to one side, watching his owner with a seemingly amused look.

Sakaki ran a mental checklist to ensure she had everything she needed. As she finished, she threw a quick glance back in Kagura's direction, remembering that her friend was still asleep, and would wake up to an empty apartment. Momentarily forgetting her rush, Sakaki went back to the counter and found a notepad and pen. She scribbled out a quick note and, thinking for a few seconds, added one final line before signing it and leaving it easily visible on the countertop.

Her sense of urgency returning, Sakaki turned and reached down and scratched Maya's head again. "See you later, Maya," she said as she went for the door. She looked back at her friend again as she reached for the doorknob, and found a small part of her hoping Kagura would still be around later on when she came back.

"I really do feel better," Sakaki said to herself after a moment.

Faintly smiling at the thought, Sakaki quietly slipped out and closed the door behind her.

**xxxxxx**

_A/N: If you haven't guessed, this sub-chapter takes place a little before Kagura wakes up in the previous chapter. A little shorter than normal, but the next chapter is proving a real pain in the ass to write, on top of real life coming at me (to include moving 3,000 miles across the country). The opening dream was originally supposed to appear later in the story, but a slight retooling provided the building blocks for this short interlude piece. Next full chapter to be posted on…whenever it's finished._


End file.
